Snap fastener



H. H. DANIELS.

SNAP FASTENER- APPLICATION FXLED APR. n. 1919.

v1,404,014 tnted Jan. 17,1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SNAP, FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

Application filed April 11, 1919. Serial No. 289,333.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. DANIELS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Winthrop, county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Snap Fasteners, of which the following descrlption, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts in each of the several views. 7

This invention relates to snap fasteners adapted for securing in place flexible sheet material such as the curtains of automobiles and other curtains and the like. Difiiculty has been experienced heretofore in producing such a fastener capable of holding the curtain securely and reliably in place yet with a capability of instant and easy detachability when required. The only fasteners heretofore known to me capable of otherwise functioning for the purpose stated have required a relatively long shank and havenot been adapted to fasten the curtain down close or so as to prevent the ingress of currents of air, or water; Further, fasteners of the kind stated heretofore have required a transverse canting movement in a given direction to detach the same from the shank and this has resulted in wearing and tearing the fabric or curtain material where it engages the button at one side. principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and cheaply constructed fastener for the purpose stated that is adapted to hold the curtain down close to the base to which it is secured securely and reliably and yet be capable of instant detachment by a slight turning movement of the fastener button such button being normally spring pressed to remain in looking position but being movable to unlock by slight manual pressure. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the inven-' tion will more fully appear from the fol-- lowing detailed description, and the distinctive features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section showing a fastener constructed in accordance with my invention applied to a curtain;

Fi 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of thearrow; t

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the button moved to a releasing posltlon;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective showing a ping retainer member for the turning but- Fig. 5 is a. bottom plan view of the fastener;

Fig. 6 is a top lan view of a base disc of the fastener; and Fig. 7 is a side view showing the fastener in use for securing a curtain in place.

In producing my improved fastener I provide a button member 10 which is first formed as a shallow metallic shell cup. Into this cupI fit a disc member 11 with a spring wire 12 applied thereto, and then spin or otherwise press inward the edge of the button cup around this disc as indicated at 10 to hold the same in place. The disc 11 is shown as formed at one side with a struck up edge 11 adapted to seat and position the same against the top of the but ton cup, while a portion of the wire 12 which as presently described is held at the top of the other side of the disc as seen at 12 co-operates at this side of the disc to hold the same seated. Thus the disc 11 is rigidly held in the button 10 to turn there with. The wire 12 which is in one piece presents substantially parallel spaced apart extremities 12 12 which are'held underneath the disc 11 with a capability of being sprung apart as presently described. In order to produce these parallel spring extremities of the wire, it is bent sharply as seen at 12 at the inner end of one of these spring portions and thence curves around underneath the disc as seen at 12 through approximately a half circle where it is bent abruptly upward through a notch 11 of the disc 11 and thence extends in the portion 12 already mentioned around the top edge of the button through a half circle Where it again passes down through a notch 11 of the disc opposite the notch 11. Thence the wire is bent abruptly backward as seen at 12 and extends in a semi-circular portion 12 around underneath the disc whence in a sharp bend 12 its already noted extremity 12 extends in parallelism with the extremity 12". These free spring projections 12 and 12 extend across and within the sides of a central circular opening 11 of the disc 11. A beveled ring member 13 is provided, with the inner edge thereof of a dimension to fit over the turned in sides of the button 10, i. e., some little smaller than the dimension of the disc 11 and this bevel ring also has a series, shown as four in number, of spaced apart penetrating prongs 13. This ring having been applied over the spun-in sides of the button 10, the extremity of these sides is again spun outward under the bevel ring 13 as indicated at 10 thus permanently assembling the button with said ring and with a capability of the button turning freely on the ring. I provide abase disc 14 with spaced apart holes 14 therethrough adapted to receive the prongs 13 of the ring 13. This base disc also has a central. hole 14 therein alining with the hole 11 of the disc 11 and at opposite sides of this hole projecting lugs 14c are struck upward, these being preferably produced from the material of the disc that is removed in forming the central hole 14 thereof. The lugs 14: are of a widthv so as to lit between the parallel spring wire prongs or extremities 12", 12", at each side of the central hole 11. The disc 11 is further cut away at opposite sides of the hole 11 and as seen at 11 11 to afford clearance for thelugs 14 and allow a limited turning movement of the disc 11 and button 10, the extremities of these out out portions being formed as radial shoulders adapted to stop the turning movement of the button, i. e., allowing only the requisite amount of forward turning movement thereof to spring open the prongs 12 12 and preventing any backward movement thereof from initial position. The fastener thus constituted is secured to a curtain or like material'piece C by having the penetrating prongs 1% fitted through the holes 1 1 of the base plate 14,, thence pressed through the material and then through registering holes 15 of an under plate disc 15 which embraces the material on the under side thereof, and is shown with a turned up centralflange 15 which fits into the hole in the material through which the fastener stud or shank 16 is passed. The extremities of the prongs 13 are bent in against this under plate as seen at 13 thus securing the button member of the fastener to the curtain; The stud or shank 16 which is V secured as usual to the curtain base C is formed with a peripheral groove in its outer end forming a square ledge or shoulder 16 under which the spring prongs 12", 12 are adapted to snap, the extremity of the shank being rounded or beveled as seen at 16 to facilitate the pressing apart of the spring prongs as the shank is pressed home. The

' shank 16 is of such a dimension that the prongs 12 12? are readily separated thereby as it is pressed into place sufficiently to permit them to snap underneath the ledge 16 and it may now be understood that by a slight turning movement of the button 10 these spring n'ongs 12 12 engaging the lugs 14 are pressed apart sun'iciently to disengage them from the ledge 16 and thus release the fastener, excess turning movement of the button being prevented by the limits of the cut out portions 11 11, while as soon as the button is released it will instantly turn back to its initial position under the action of the spring prongs against the stationary lugs 1 1. It will be noted that the spring prongs are positioned directly over the base plate 1 1 which thus serves as abacking therefor as they perform their locking and holding function in the button. It will be noted that the present fastener is adapted to be supplied commercially consisting in three parts, i.fe., the button 10'and retainer ring 13, the base, disc 14, and the underneath disc 15, the shank 16 making the fourth complementary member. The periphery of the button 10 is preferably knurled or otherwise formed as seen at 10 to constitute a convenient finger hold. It will be observed that I thus produce a fastener wherein an exceptionally short shank member may be employed, since'no canting or transverse twisting of the button is required to disengage the same. Further it will be observed that the entire button and fastener structure may be made very compact and flat, and yet present an adequate button projecting portion for easy actuation; further that by reason of my improved construction only a relatively slight turning impulse on the button is required to release the same, though it is securely and reliably held normally in its locking po sition by the spring action. I Vhile I have herein shown the button as arranged to turn to the left or anti-clockwise for releasing, it will be understood that by simple reversal of the arrangements 'ofthe spring member and of the position of theclearance spaces 11, 11 the button may be made right handed, being thus adapted to be turned in either direction for releasing as-may be more con venient in any particular location. I am aware that the invention may beembodied in other'specificforms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being' had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure Letters Patent is: f

1. A fastener as described comprising a shank equipped with a ledge, and a button having a member adapted'to engage said ledge and equipped with spring means for normally holding it engaged therewith, said equipped with substantially button having also means associated therewith to disengage said member from said ledge on a turning movement of the button.

2. A fastener as described, comprising a shank equipped with a ledge, and a button having a member equipped with spring means for holding it normally in locking engagement with said ledge and having associated therewith means relatively stationary with respect thereto to move the same against the spring action thereof for disen gaging the same from said ledge by a turning movement of the button.

8; A fastener as described, comprising a shank equipped with a ledge, a button mounted for turning movement equipped with a pair of spring pressed prongs normally engaging said ledge from opposite sides, and means associated with said prongs for disengaging the same from said ledge by a turning movement of said button.

4. A fastener as described, comprising a shank equipped with a ledge, and a button parallel spring members to engage said ledge at opposite sides, said button having associated therewith means relatively stationary with re spect thereto to disengage said spring members from said ledge by turning movement of the button.

5. A fastener as described comprising a shank formed for engagement by a button, and a button equipped with spring pressed means causing it to normally engage said shank, and means associated therewith to disengage the same from said shank on a turning movement thereof, the button also bearing relatively stationary stops for limiting the turning movement thereof to a de gree necessary for disengaging it from the shank.

6. A fastener as described comprising a shank equipped for engagement by a button, and a button having a stationary mounting on a material piece and fitted to turn on said mounting, said button equipped with spring pressed members normally engaging said shank, and means for disengaging the same on the turning movement of the button, said spring pressed members mounted and arranged for automatic movement to engage the shank upon the releasing of the button.

7. A fastener as described, comprising a shank equipped for engagement by a button, and a button having mounted therein spring wire prongs extending in parallelism in op-- posite directions adapted to engage between them said shank, and means co-operative with said prongs for disengaging the same from said shank on a turning movement of the button.

8. A fastener as described, comprising a shank equipped for engagement by a button, and a button havin mounted therein a single wire equipped with spring prongs at its extremities extending in parallelism in opposite directions, and relatively stationary means for engaging said prongs to disengage the same from the shank on a turning movement of the button.

9. A fastener as described, comprising a shank equipped for engagement by a button, and a button fitted to turn on a stationary mounting carried by the material, said button bearing a wire equipped with spring prongs extending in parallelism in opposite directions, said mounting having stationary projections to engage said prongs for opening the same on a turning movement of the button.

10. A fastener as described, comprising a shank equipped for engagement by a button, and a button fitted to turn on a stationary mountingcarried by the material, said button bearing a wire equipped with spring prongs extending in parallelism in opposite directions, said mounting having stationary projections to engage said prongs for opening the same on a turning movement of the button, and said button having co-operative means for limiting the turning movement thereof by engagement with said projections.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY H. DANIELS. 

